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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 24, 2003)
Aggielife: Students enjoy intramural sports • Page 5 Opinion: Lies behind the curtain • Page 7 t WORLD THE BATTALI05 lager f> weeps Volume 109 • Issue 175 • 8 pages 109 Years Serving Texas A&M University www.thebatt.com Thursday, July 24, 2003 e, so 1 don’t think we rsue this.” t ended that day,” she sail ver came up again. Neva, n a hallway, not in themis- nanagement team." mi said she takes resport for that decision, as ik of the mission manaja team. “But we are a tea II heard the discussions,' ,iid. “None of us feltih malysis (of the dang by the blow from In was faulty.” vasn’t until after the acci hat she learned some it igineers who wanted lie itellite pictures had tak i her meetings, but neve up. m had to stop talking; lint in the news briefe niggled to hold backtein it her lips, but the ten anyway and she wipe: away with a borrows erchief. : and two other lof l officials at Johnsc; Center met wii ers on Tuesday severt after NASA released tie inscripts of all five mt management meetings .iring Columbia’s flight ing the second meeting n. 21, five days ate bia’s launch, Hai ■d a short briefing on tie lound chunk of fuel-tanl nsulation that slamme; ilumbia’s left wing dir off. ally, I don’t thinkthereis ve can do,” she toldle ues. “It’s not really a luring the flight becaiK sn’t much we canto t.” [Other xial • • Animal sense Skaggs dedicates career, academics to advising students By C.E. Walters THE BATTALION C hris Skaggs can offer proof that one of the most reward ing parts of his job is work ing with students. Skaggs, who won an outstanding advising certificate from the National Academic Advising Association, is an associate profes sor and academic adviser in the Department of Animal Science. j U , J Y IOfiMHPK& Skaggs said he is proud of all his students, whether they change majors to explore new opportuni ties, struggle to find their academ ic footing or continue to graduate work. “I take a lot of pride in watching students develop their interests,” he said. “(I enjoy) being a part of help ing them to attain their goals.” Skaggs earned his undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University, his master’s degree at Kansas State University and his Ph.D. at Iowa State University. Skaggs said earn ing his degrees at different universi ties helped him develop his own teaching style. Each university, he said, present ed courses differently and allowed him to pick up different teaching styles while combining different courses from different universities. Skaggs said when he first came to Texas A&M, he taught an introduc tory animal science lab and intro duced aspects he wanted to teach. “I met a lot of people,” he said. “It made me willing to try new things.” Jodi Sterly, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science, has team-taught classes with Skaggs for the past four years. RANDAL FORD • THE BATTALION Chris Skaggs, associate professor and academic adviser in the Department of Animal Science, works with ani mals as part of his teaching and outside life, such as serving as Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo superin tendent. Skaggs' father and uncle were both agricultural educators who interested him in the field. Sterly said Skaggs will have stu dents flowing in and out of his office constantly during office hours or even late at night. Sterly said Skaggs has a very distinctive method of teaching. “He has a very unique ability to engage students and he’s probably one of the best professors I’ve ever seen,” she said. Though he enjoys teaching more than advising, he said his experi ence student teaching at Texas Tech was a valuable tool. “Students learn differently,” Skaggs said. “To reach these stu dents, you have to use different methods.” Skaggs said the various types of students in his classes tested his abilities to teach. “(It was) always a challenge to keep motivated (students) still striv ing while still trying to (reach) those who are less academically inclined,” Skaggs said. Skaggs, raised in Pampa, Texas, said his desire to enter agricultural education stemmed from his admi ration of his uncle, who was a pro fessor of animal science at Kansas State. Skaggs looked to him as his role model. Skaggs said he was also spurred See Skaggs on page 2 A&M to host first Freshman Convocation By Jacquelyn Spruce THE BATTALION The first Freshman Convocation will pro vide incoming freshmen with a connection to one another by showing them the size, strength and unity of their class, said I^ristin Harper, senior associate director of student life. Harper said convocation will also provide freshmen with a connection to the University before beginning their education at Texas A&M. “Freshman Convocation will welcome students to a community of learners and show them what the University can provide,” she said. With faculty from each academic depart ment, the president, vice presidents and provosts all representing the University during Freshman Convocation, Harper said she believes it will start a new tradition. Dr. Mark Weicholt, associate provost for undergraduate academic services, said the idea of an official welcoming for freshman was first proposed three to four years ago. “Other schools have done things similar to this,” he said. “I would like to see it become part of the academic calendar.” Weicholt and Harper said the cost of the ceremony is unknown since it has never been See Convocation on page 2 n Freshman Convocation i Aug. 31, Reed Arena, 2:30 p.m. ■Show freshmen the size, strength and unity of the class HI Douglas A. Brooks, Keynote Speaker RUBEN DELUNA • THE BATTALION SOURCE: • DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT LIFE sion in 1 works April Castro ASSOCIATED PRESS IN — Republicans wilt es of taking over lit legation in the U.$. :m to be giving uphopf 'ing congressional lints st for the seven days in the current sped ; session. 2 state senators vowing gainst any redistricting a required two-thirto needed to debate tilt hi Id likely not bf his session, no mattet iation of the map not optimistic at tlti' something will hap- session, said Sen. ncan, chairman of the Jurisprudence :, charged with draft- for the Senate to con- e committee is forging its selection of a map d put more Texas is in Washington, D.C m it tee met again listen to invited test!- a series of proposed ;h to redistrict could : 'e if GOP Gov. Rick les to call yet another ;ion on the matter, as <peeled. Perry contin- e would like to get# this session, hen obviously it is an imediately call anoth- o address this issue, “This is an important e leadership and,! people of the state.' an Lt. Gov. David as indicated that, in f another session, he a Senate rule that vo-thirds vote, rathet e majority, to consid- i. Republicans say in ssions the rule hast! 1 A&M Foundation’s newest trustee eyes the bottom line By Karen Yancey THE BATTALION The newest trustee appointed to the Texas A&M Foundation said he plans to finish the foundation’s recent fundraising campaign and assist A&M President Robert M. Gates in achieving Vision 2020. In early July, the Association of Former Students appointed Ray Rothrock to the foundation, which raises and manages donat ed funds to the University. Seven people serve on the board of trustees for seven-year terms. Amy Glass, public relations director of the AFS, said Rothrock is a former board member for the association. “He fits the profile extremely well because he knows a lot about the Foundation and the Association,” she said. Rothrock graduated from A&M in 1977 and is currently the managing general partner at Venrock Associates, a venture capital firm with offices in California and New York City. Rothrock has volunteered on the founda tion’s Investment Advisory Committee since 1995 and established the first endowed chair in A&M’s Department of Performance Studies. Rothrock was involved in the foundation’s One Spirit, One Vision campaign to raise funds for A&M. Rothrock also co-chaired the arts and sciences group for A&M’s Vision 2020 initiative. Rose Anne McFadden, director for public relations at the foundation, said one thing that qualifies Rothrock to serve on the board is his experience in the area of financial investing. A candidate must be capable of managing funds for A&M and understand how the foundation operates, she said. “I’m a rookie trustee here and I will be learning a lot,” he said He said he was pleased when Ed Davis, president of the foundation, called to tell him See Trustee on page 2 APPOINTED Ray Rothrock • Class of 1977 • Wants to finish fundraising plan and assist President Robert M. Gates in Vision 2020 RUBEN DELUNA • THE BATTALION SOURCE: THE ASSOCIATION OF FORMER STUDENTS Street rodeo SHARON AESCHBACH • THE BATTALION Rosenthal Beef Center employees chase a runaway steer at noon on Wednesday. The steer broke out of the beef center at about 10 a.m., swimming through a pond near the George Bush School of Government and Public Service and heading toward the new tennis courts before being captured in a parking lot near University Police Department head quarters on Discovery Drive. Senate committee approves redistricting By Natalie Gott THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN — A Senate committee on Wednesday adopted a map of new con gressional districts that likely would give the Texas GOP an advantage over the state’s Democrats in Washington, but the plan seemed doomed this spe cial legislative session. The Senate Jurisprudence Committee approved the measure 4-3 on a party line vote. Sen. Todd Staples of Palestine, who chairs the Senate Republican Caucus, sponsored the map, which he unveiled Wednesday. He said it was fair and bal anced. “Clearly, I think the map that I laid before you today respects rural, east, west and south Texas and the Panhandle in enabling them to elect a candidate of their choice,” Staples said. Democrats objected to the map’s passage, saying that most people who testified at public hearings didn’t want lawmakers to take up redistricting. “The redrawing of congressional district lines, in spite of overwhelming public opposition, amounts to the com mission (of) an enormous abuse of the public trust,” Sen. Mario Gallegos, D- Houston, told the committee. Staples’ map appears as though it could give Texas Republicans as many as 22 seats in Congress, compared to 10 seats for Democrats, though Staples would not confirm that figure. Democrats now have a 17-15 majority in the delegation. Lawmakers failed to draw congres sional districts during the 2001 legisla tive session, leaving federal judges to create the current plan. The GOP, led by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Sugar Land, says that recent See Senate on page 4 U.S.: Saddam loyalist attacks may spike By Steven R. Hurst THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BAGHDAD, Iraq — U.S. troops captured a senior Republican Guard official Wednesday, one day after killing Saddam Hussein’s elder sons Odai and Qusai, but the guerrilla campaign against American forces persisted with two more soldiers killed. Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition forces in Iraq, said the deaths of Odai and Qusai Hussein would be a “turning point” in the war but could result in a tempo rary “spike” in attacks as Saddam loyalists take revenge. Also Wednesday, a tape purportedly made by Saddam called on Iraqis to press their uprising against the U.S.-led occupation. The tape reportedly was made Sunday, two days before the killings of Odai and Qusai in a U.S. military raid in the northern city of Mosul. The CIA was analyzing the audio message broadcast by Arab TV but has reached no conclusions about its authenticity, said a U.S. intelligence official, speaking on the condi tion of anonymity. The head of the Special Republican Guard, Barzan Abd al-Ghafur Sulayman Majid See Iraq on page 2 U.S. Soldiers killed One U.S. soldier was killed Wednesday in a convoy attack near Mosul, where the sons of Saddam Hussein were killed the day before. Another soldier was killed in a separate attack in Ramadi, west of the capital. TURKEY 0 100 mi 0 100km Mosul SYRIA IFtAN Ramadi Baghdad IRAQ SAUDI ARABIA KUWAIT | SOURCES: ESRI: Associated Press s.